Candidates taking the entrance exam for grade 6 at Tran Dai Nghia School in 2023 - Photo: ANH KHOI
In previous years, Ho Chi Minh City only had Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted enrolling 6th graders through entrance exams. By 2023, Ho Chi Minh City will have Tran Quoc Toan 1 Middle School, Thu Duc City will also apply this method.
Only available at reputable schools
Regarding the entrance exam for grade 6 at Tran Quoc Toan 1 Secondary School, Mr. Nguyen Thai Vinh Nguyen, head of the Department of Education and Training of Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, said that it comes from the fact that the demand of parents for their children to study at the school is too high while the number of places is limited.
"There is currently a certain difference in the assessment of students in primary schools. If admission to grade 6 is based on the final exam scores of grade 5 in the second semester, it is not fair. Therefore, in 2023, we would like to request permission to enroll grade 6 students for Tran Quoc Toan 1 School by survey. Candidates will take the same exam and on the same day as candidates applying for grade 6 at Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted," said Mr. Nguyen.
Similarly, a leader of the Department of Education and Training of District 4 informed: "We are calculating and developing a plan to request to organize a 6th grade entrance exam for Van Don Secondary School. This is a school that many parents trust, and every year the pressure to enroll students is very high.
Not only considering the final grade 5 test scores, the school's admissions board must also consider the students' academic results from grades 1 to 4, as well as awards in many different fields.
But sometimes we don't know who to take and who to leave because in primary school, students can easily get 10 points. In addition, they also compete and win many prizes in competitions in sports, arts, math, literature...".
For the same reason, the Department of Education and Training of District 7 said that it has proposed to conduct an entrance survey to enroll 6th grade students for the 2024-2025 school year at Nguyen Huu Tho Secondary School. This is a famous school in District 7 for many years.
The secondary criteria are unfair.
Currently, in addition to Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, each district has famous secondary schools that are under great pressure during each admission season. For example, Nguyen Du, Huynh Khuong Ninh, Tran Van On (District 1), Le Quy Don (District 3), Hong Bang (District 5), Nguyen Van To (District 10), Nguyen Du (Go Vap District), Nguyen Gia Thieu (Tan Binh District), Le Van Tam (Binh Thanh District)...
Due to the pressure of too few places compared to demand, in recent years many "hot" secondary schools have had to set many criteria for admission. In addition to the main criteria of academic performance in literature and math, some districts have also considered IT certificates, international foreign language certificates, awards, etc.
However, many secondary school principals believe that setting additional criteria is unfair. How can students from poor families have the conditions to take international foreign language and IT certification exams?
"The secondary criteria are just a temporary solution because we have no other choice when it comes to recruiting students for grade 6. Not to mention, even if we set specific criteria and conditions, the recruitment process is still prone to negative factors. Only an entrance exam can thoroughly resolve existing problems," said the principal of a famous secondary school in Ho Chi Minh City.
Through the first year of piloting the survey to recruit 6th grade students for Tran Quoc Toan 1 Secondary School, Mr. Nguyen Thai Vinh Nguyen shared that from the survey results, the admissions board will take from top to bottom until the quota is met. This method is not only fair and objective but also creates consensus among the majority of parents.
"This year, Thu Duc City is asking the Department of Education and Training for permission to expand the entrance exam at two secondary schools, Hoa Lu and Binh Tho. Thus, Thu Duc City will have three secondary schools conducting the entrance exam to enroll students in grade 6.
We propose to develop our own survey with a separate survey organization plan instead of following the common exam with Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted like last year. That is, the structure of the survey will be the same as Tran Dai Nghia School but at a lower level, and the survey time will not coincide with the survey date at Tran Dai Nghia School" - Mr. Nguyen said.
Entering 6th grade at Tran Dai Nghia School: 1 "fights" 9
For many years, Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, Ho Chi Minh City has always been a "hot" name during every admission season. The "competition" ratio for grade 6 at this school ranges from 1 "competition" of 7 to 1 "competition" of 9, depending on the year. In the 2023-2024 school year, 4,800 candidates registered to take the entrance exam for grade 6 at Tran Dai Nghia School while the school only recruited 535 students.
Tran Quoc Toan 1 Secondary School alone has 750 candidates applying while the quota is 250 students.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, the aptitude test for entering grade 6 at Tran Dai Nghia School consists of two parts: multiple choice and essay. The multiple choice part consists of 20 questions in English. This part tests knowledge of natural sciences and social sciences with a maximum total score of 40.
The essay section has a total score of 60, including three contents: English, mathematical thinking and reading - comprehension - writing skills. The English section will have questions to test the candidates' listening - comprehension skills.
Waiting for approval of primary school enrollment plan
Speaking to Tuoi Tre, a leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training said: "The Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that secondary schools are not allowed to organize entrance exams for grade 6. However, for schools with a number of students registering for admission many times higher than the quota, the district and county admissions steering committees can request a plan to organize a student capacity survey.
Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has not approved any additional secondary schools to conduct surveys to enroll 6th graders, other than Tran Dai Nghia School. After the City People's Committee approves the enrollment plan for the first level (expected in March 2024 - PV), the department will review the enrollment plan of each school before making a decision."
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